The incumbent serves as a technical advisor in ecology for one or more parks to apply a systems approach to the study and analysis of organisms and ecological relationships. The ecologist is responsible for program development and implementation.

Duties

Develops and prepares major sections of the park resources management plan that require the application of ecological principles. Prepares specific resources action plans and strategies needed to successfully manage and protect natural ecosystems and environmental conditions. Develops and maintains liaisons and effective working relations with related groups and individuals, agencies, and the public in order to encourage and facilitate cooperative regional management strategies. Attends management and professional conferences and other events for the purpose of exchanging information, presenting technical and policy information, and advancing advocacy for park stewardship. Identifies research needs, prepares requests for proposals or statements of work, reviews research applications and provides oversight for research projects. Serves as the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative for projects conducted through contracts, interagency agreements, and cooperative agreements. Based on results of inventories, in-depth studies, and monitoring, the incumbent develops and conducts scientifically credible protection, mitigation, and restoration projects to prevent resource damage, to restore and/or maintain the integrity of critical habitats, native plant and animal communities, managed landscapes, and physical resources, and to minimize human activities that impact resources. Develops and carries out statistically valid data collection protocols for ecological components and processes. Performs data collection using advanced technology such as electronic data collectors when appropriate. Performs data entry and carries out quality control checks on data collection and entry performed by others. Conducts analysis of complex data. Determines and documents the significance of findings. Carries out program management duties by developing work plans and schedules, scopes of work, cost estimates, and proposals and/or grants to justify funding requests and accomplish goals. May administer and track project funds and prepare accomplishment reports, as needed. Maintains awareness of applicable funding sources within NPS and outside. AREA INFORMATION: The position is duty stationed in Houghton, Michigan from November through mid-April. Houghton has a population of approximately 10,000 and is a full-service community with schools, churches, medical services, shopping, and abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. Higher education facilities are available at Michigan Technological University in Houghton. Houghton is one of several towns and villages on the Keweenaw Peninsula where housing is available for purchase in a wide range of prices from $100,000 to $500,000. Rentals range from $800 to $3,000 per month but are often more difficult to find. Winter snowfall averages between 150 and 200 inches per year creating abundant opportunities for snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and cross-country and downhill skiing in the area. During late April through October, this position is required to live and work in Isle Royale National Park, approximately 70 miles by water or sea plane from Houghton. Isle Royale is a large, remote, isolated island in northwestern Lake Superior and is 99% federally-designated Wilderness. The park offers superb recreational opportunities such as boating, kayaking, canoeing, backpacking, camping, fishing, hiking, and more. Transportation for visitors, employees, and their families, as well as mail, groceries, and other supplies are provided via the park's ship, the M.V. Ranger III. Government housing is furnished on the island at no cost to the employee during the operating season. There are no roads, limited amenities, and limited opportunity to travel to the mainland. To protect Isle Royale's fauna from disease and other maladies, PETS ARE PROHIBIITED.

Requirements

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/10/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. Basic Individual Occupational Requirement for Ecology Series, 0408 Degree in biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences. IMPORTANT-PLEASE NOTE: It is your responsibility to show how you satisfy the degree and other semester hours. YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF YOUR COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Examples include experience performing work relating to the biological, physical, and chemical components of ecosystems or their subparts (i.e., vegetation, air and water quality, wildlife and endangered species, insect and disease infestations, invasive and non-native species management, and patterns and impacts of visitor use; or other similar biological resource management and assessment activities) using established protocols and standard scientific equipment; assisting in organizational planning, independently planning/organizing/implementing scientific investigations; performing data analyses on portions of larger investigations; participating in organizing and interpreting biological, ecological, pathological, public use, or other pertinent research information; writing, editing, reviewing scientific technical reports and peer-reviewed publications. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least successfully completed 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, 6 months of specialized experience (50% of the specialized experience) and 18 directly related graduate level semester hours of related education (50% of the education requirement) would qualify an applicant for this position. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Contacts

• Address Isle Royale National Park 800 East Lakeshore Drive Houghton, MI 49931 US
• Name: MWR HR West Team
• Phone: 402 661 1986
• Email: [email protected]